Elements of Life
by Cap'n Poptart
Summary: On the Makah reservation, four individuals ascend to fulfill a legend long forgotten. Stories and lives intertwine between two familiar groups as these new players insert themselves into life-changing issues. Hearts and lives are broken before being mended in the most unusual ways. Could it be possible for two species to come together as a result of this newfound race?


**So I rewrote the story yet again. This time I did so to incorporate as much of the actual Makah reservation as I could, so the characters and their back-stories will be just a tad different. I hope this doesn't turn any of my previous readers away, because I like this idea much better. It adds more depth to the Kingsley family before the whole Leah/Sam/Emily thing and all that.**

**On a different note, Hobuck Beach Resort actually exists, so I don't own that or anything. I am just using it because I think having a family run resort in the story would add a new family side to the story that just wasn't there before.**

**With that over with, enjoy the newly rewritten _Elements of Life_!**

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><p>Green eyes watched the tourists stream in for the summer season. Some came in campers and RVs, while others came in their trucks and vans with their tents, while others still came in their compact cars or small SUVs to rent one of the available cabins. For a moment, Dylan Kingsley was afraid there wouldn't be enough room, but then she remembered who did the registration. Emily Young would never overbook, so the resort was in safe hands. Which was a good thing, because Gram would disown Jason if his fiancée overbooked, causing people to lose interest in their small establishment. Hobuck Beach Resort had been in the family for generations, first starting as a campground for tents, before adding hookups for the RVs, and finally building more cabins similar to the two that housed the Kingsley family. Those who could not fit in the cabins, usually the older ones who visited occasionally, stayed in the few ancient RVs. To some the setup would seem cramped and unnecessary, but the family had always lived on the resort to run the place, so why would they change tradition when it had always worked before?<p>

"Dylan, I need help with the firewood," Jason Kingsley, Dylan's older brother, called over from the registration office. "Get up off your lazy bum and come here!"

The thirteen-year-old rolled her forest green eyes but complied, running over eagerly to spend time with her brother. He grinned and handed her a few logs, sending a wink to his fiancée, and started the rounds. The siblings gave out firewood to every camper who requested it and informed them dinner would be cooking at six, so anyone who wanted to come should show up so they could make enough. Dylan happily made small-talk with each visitor, excitedly telling them about the activities they offered—both in winter and summer—and made everyone more comfortable as they got to know their neighbors. They saved the cabins for last so they could end at their home, where everyone would be waiting to get dinner started.

Twins Natalie and James—the same age as Dylan—practically tackled their cousin, dragging her away to their shared loft in the newer cabin, which was actually thirty years old, to do who knew what. Jason shook his head and went inside the RV to check on his grandmother, who he knew would be slaving away tirelessly to get the ingredients for dinner ready. Emily and Amy, his cousin Danny's wife, were helping the older woman, laughing and chatting up a storm. He stood in the doorway and watched, amusement sparkling in his eyes identical to his sister's.

"Having fun being lazy there, boy?" Gram rasped, not even looking up from peeling the carrots. Jason was used to the woman having eyes on the back of her head by now, so he just laughed and came in fully. "Good boy, my little Jay-Jay. What a good little husband you'll be." She pinched his cheeks, embarrassing him in front of his fiancée and her best friend.

"Okay there, Gram, let's not completely take away my man card."

"What man card?" Gram snorted. "You're still my little baby boy!"

Emily laughed—a sweet, rich sound that was music to Jason's ears—and leaned up to kiss the mortified man on the cheek. He smiled down at her and captured her lips in a romantic kiss.

"Save it for the altar," Amy chastised. "There are children present."

They looked up to see Claire, Amy and Danny's adopted ten-year-old daughter, watching them from the kitchen table. She blinked and waved, unsure of what to do. Amy laughed and handed the girl a few potatoes to peel.

"Be careful with this, Claire, you could cut yourself," she warned in a motherly voice, "and the campers definitely do not want blood in their food."

Claire huffed as the woman placed a sweet kiss in her hair but did not object, just started peeling the potatoes with exaggerated movements. Jason looked out the window to see the Three Musketeers—Dylan, Natalie, and James—lugging huge pots of water out to the camp center. Danny and Joan followed with boxes of chips and drinks. Anna-Marie and her boyfriend, Bill, were carrying the packages of meat, little Davie loaded down with paper plates, napkins, and plastic-ware. Hannah, like a real slave-driver, was overseeing everything with sharp brown eyes, calling anyone out who was slacking. The rest of the family would be arriving later in the week to set up for the Fourth of July.

"Jay-Jay, carry these vegetables over," Emily ordered her fiancé while handing him the bowls of peeled, minced, diced, and sliced veggies. "We'll be over soon with the fruit."

He nodded and jogged to catch up with the rest of his cousins. Davie worked those little legs to stay in step with his uncle, Hannah watching her cousin carefully lest he do something to make her son fall. Jason smiled down at the little tyke warmly and nudged him lightly with his leg. The boy stumbled but stayed on his feet, and shot the laughing man a glare.

"Sorry, Davie, but I couldn't resist."

"I gonna tell Emly you being bad," the boy threatened seriously. "No ice cweam for Unca Jay."

"Aw, c'mon Davie, I was just playing. Don't tell Emily! I'll even give you some of my ice cream!"

He pretended to think about it before nodding. He still had that 'I'm-watching-you' look on his face though. The boy forgot about it, however, when they arrived at the center of camp and he had to give his burden to an adult. Jason set his bowls of food on one of the picnic tables and shot Dylan a warning look when she ran too close to the fire for his liking. He had practically raised the girl since their parents died, never letting her out of his sight until Emily assured him the girl wouldn't just disappear.

"Songbird," Gram called for Dylan, "we need you to cook the pasta and squash!"

"Yes, Gram!"

"You, little silkworm, you're on hamburger duty," she told Natalie. "Margay, help her." James grinned wickedly and skipped after his sister. "Jay, I need you to work on the stews, Emily, doe, you're in charge of the sauces…" Gram continued to order her grandchildren around, the campers watching the family work together effortlessly in awe. They were like a well-oiled machine, knowing what to do and when to do it without needing clarification.

Gram nodded approvingly before snatching up Davie and entertaining him while chatting with a few tourists. Everyone else continued to work, occasionally letting a visitor taste-test a few items, and threw jokes and teases around all the while. Emily Young, the nineteen-year-old fiancée of Jason Kingsley, could not feel more at home. She knew this was where she belonged, and she couldn't imagine having any other second family. Her own family, comprising of her father and younger brother—Dylan's best friend Derek—lived only a few minutes away in the nearest town of Neah Bay. The whole set up was perfect, although in a few weeks she would be making the three hour trip to La Push to visit her cousins on the Quileute reservation. Her cousin Leah Clearwater, who was more like a sister, was eager to introduce _her_ fiancé, Sam Uley. She had hoped Emily could bring Jason, but he just couldn't get away, not in the busy tourist season. They planned for him to come down later for the actual wedding, which was scheduled to take place in August, when summer was winding down.

_My life couldn't be more perfect,_ she thought happily as she watched Jason interact with his family. _How did I end up with such an amazing man? No one else could even compare with him._

In a few short weeks, everything Emily had known up until then would be shaken from her head. She would leave behind the life she looked forward to now. She would cause a rift in the Makah tribe, all because of one man.

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><p><strong>So that is basically just an introduction to the family and everything. Let me know what you think!<strong>


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